Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Tahoe
was beautiful this time of year. In truth, it’s beautiful anytime of
year, but with a fresh blanket of milky white powder atop the
evergreens, it was awe-inspiring. Heavenly Village sits nestled in
towering mountains and the glistening aquamarine waters of Lake Tahoe.
This was just what Samantha needed after the hectic holidays. Sam had
always been close to her family, and she truly enjoyed spending time
with them over the holidays, but this year with her father gone, things
had been different. She had always been very close to him, he was the
one who understood her best when the rest of the family just didn’t seem
to get it. He was always the one on her side of the fence, encouraging
her, listening and providing her with a sense of being. He was also
always the one to fend off the questions from the rest of them. Why
aren’t you dating? Isn’t there anyone that seems interesting enough to
give a chance? Don’t you want children someday? This isn’t healthy, Sam.
She knew they meant well and were only concerned for her but she wished
they’d back off. Why was it so hard for them to understand? Lately it
seemed to have gotten worse, probably because they knew the loss of her
father was going to take its toll and make matters worse. What they
didn’t seem to understand was that she was already committed, she had
already given all of herself to one man and although it had been five
years since he disappeared, she wasn’t ever going to be able to look at
another man the same again. Five years she thought, it was hard to
imagine it hadn’t been longer. It felt like a lifetime, more like a
thousand years, a damned eternity even. At the beginning she kept
herself busy with the investigation, trying to find answers only to
discover more questions. Now she just felt blank. Numb. Off in the
distance a squirrel attempted to chase off his nemesis. Trying to push
the thoughts from her mind, she watched the foreign shapes take form in
the snow as he pounced from spot to spot before scurrying up the next
tree. The branches bounced as he jumped from limb to limb and droplets
of silvery snow plopped to the ground below. The air hinted of vanilla
and pineapple from the abundance of Jeffery Pines that lined the
mountainsides. The air was crisp and refreshing. It had been years since
Sam had skied. Five years at least and she felt a bit tarnished. Her
father had taught her to ski on this very mountain when she was just 5
years old. Although she hadn’t been here for quite some time, this
mountain was like an old family friend. Growing up, Sam’s family had
taken several trips a year to ski Tahoe. It felt strangely consoling to
be back. Heavenly was always her favorite mountain with lifts and
spectacular views on both the California and Nevada side of Lake Tahoe.
She remembered the laughter in her fathers voice as he’d told her to
slow down a little. She glanced back in the squirrel’s direction before
she decided to head down the mountain. He was no where in site. She
pushed off with her right leg and began a slow slalom weaving back and
forth across the mountain. The slopes were starting to get busier as it
shifted from early morning. A group of college aged kids blew past her,
playfully hollering and weaving among them selves. Two girls lagged
behind engrossed in conversation away from the group. She was starting
to feel more comfortable with each turn and began relaxing when suddenly
a familiar voice spoke loudly from behind.
“Hello Sam”
She
tensed up, whisked sharply to the right, stopping dead in her tracks.
She turned her head to his voice and feeling nearly frozen in place, she
toppled over….

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About Me

Cheryl Erickson is a freelance writer, Journalist, online
journal editor, and former Mobile Travel Examiner. She is a member of AuthorsDen and Advancedfictionwriting.com.
She is actively pursuing her degree in English and Creative Writing at
Pensacola State College. Cheryl is also a photographer and lives on the Gulf Coast
with her family. Her latest project is a twisted tale of deception, betrayal,
and wretched romance.